It's So Unfair
by aidyr
Summary: She was in love with Marie. As if the unfortunate circumstances of their relationship wasn't problem enough, were she to make a move, no doubt the press would catch on. Their reputations could be ruined. So new to their solo careers, which all things considered, were going quite well, that wasn't something they could afford to risk. - Also published on AO3 -


It was approaching 3 AM and Callie found herself unable to sleep. Not for any external reason; her bed was comfortable, her sheets were warm, and she'd gotten a good meal before calling it a night. It wasn't even the nightmares that kept her awake. Her memories of time spent with the Octarians were fuzzy at best, but being brainwashed unsurprisingly could leave a bit of lasting hurt. The nightmares sucked, and she'd sell her left tentacle to have them stopped. But no, that's not why her mind was racing. Earlier that day she'd had a terrible realization. A confusing, unwanted, though ultimately inevitable realization.

She was in love with Marie.

Of course this wouldn't be a problem usually. Young love was beautiful and she was blessed to know a squid as gorgeous as Marie. But there was a glaring, unavoidable problem with this newfound crush. They were cousins. And they were famous.

As if the unfortunate circumstances of their relationship wasn't problem enough, were she to make a move, no doubt the press would catch on. Their reputations could be ruined. So new to their solo careers, which all things considered, were going quite well, that wasn't something they could afford to risk.

But whenever Marie smiled, or chuckled, or gave that endearing smug grin of hers Callie sometimes forgot the risk. She'd been ignoring it for a while now, but today she had finally come to recognize and accept that what she was feeling when Marie looked at her was the urge to cuddle her, and kiss her, and never let her go.

Marie meant so, so much to the younger inkling. So much so she'd surely splat of sadness if anything ever happened to her dearest cousin.

Callie sighed and shifted in bed. It was hard to get comfortable after realizing you were in love with family. Like… on the long list of inconvenient and troublesome things which could befall a person, falling in love with your cousin had to rank pretty high. Especially given the both of them were idol superstars and anything romantic between the two would be broadcast immediately and criticized harshly by the public.

It's so unfair.

Deciding quickly that it wouldn't do her any good to lay sleeplessly in bed for the next several hours to come, Callie opted to get up and venture to the living room. She could watch some TV, maybe fall asleep on the couch or something. Sure, Marie would question her about it come morning, but she could easily pass it off as being her usual careless self.

Callie crept out of bed, pulling her sheets aside and stepping down to the floor below. She flinched each and every time her feet made a sound; everything was so much louder when you were trying not to make noise. But she found a solution. She simply shifted into squid form and slinked noiselessly across the ground.

It was a lot of fun to sneak around as a squid, actually. She felt simultaneously stealthy as hell and incredibly silly.

She slid her way away from her bed, down the hall, and towards the living room. Just as she was approaching however, she heard something. Popping out a squid form, she stood up and pressed a pointed ear up against the wall, attempting to hear into the other room without actually entering.

She was surprised to hear what sounded like the TV on. That was… odd. Was Marie awake? This early? Not that Callie had room to talk, but she was still curious.

Cautiously, the young idol poked her head around the corner and, Zapfish be damned, there was Marie. Her lime green eyes glazed over as she focused on the moving images on the screen in front of her. She was idly petting Judd, who lay happily in her lap. He may have been sentient, but he was just as much a house pet as Callie's childhood sea slug. Unsure what to do, Callie stood there, silently observing for a moment. She wasn't sure if she wanted to join her cousin, ask why she was awake, chat till the sun came up, fall asleep cuddled up on the couch, wake up in her arms, look her in the eyes, touch her soft lips… er… whoops. Callie shook herself free of stupid gay thoughts, and tried to rid her cheeks of embarrassed fuchsia blush. On the flip side, she could sneak quietly back to her room, and act like nothing ever happened. Save her troubled hearts the burden of sitting next to such a pretty, funny, talented, supportive, amazing inkling. Why was this so hard? Why couldn't she just—

"Hey creeper, how long are you gonna pretend to be hidden?"

Marie's silky, amused voice ripped Callie from her thoughts. The elder inkling was looking at her with an expression Callie couldn't quite place.

"O-oh! Uh, heya Marie." The pink inkling stepped out from her compromised hiding place and stumbled into the living room. "Whatcha' doing up this late? Or uh…" She craned her neck to observe a digital clock placed on the kitchen counter. It read 3:16 AM. "This… early?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Cal." Marie's hand paused its efforts in pampering Judd while she focused on her unexpected guest. "Why aren't you asleep?"

"Hey now," Callie started, small smile and arms crossed, "I asked you first."

"Fair," Marie shrugged. "Couldn't sleep, I guess. Nothing too interesting. Just some insomnia. Wanted to watch TV to distract myself, maybe tire myself out." It was difficult to do with a cat on her lap, but even so, she managed to scoot over and offer Callie a spot next to her. "Now you," she pointed in a near accusatory manner, "why are you up?"

That's not anything Callie could be completely honest about, now was it? She wasn't sure if she'd ever tell Marie about her feelings, but certainly not so soon after realizing them herself, and definitely not like this. She moved her feet nervously against their carpeted floor, her ears flickering anxiously and without subtly. "Uh… same, I guess. Couldn't sleep?"

Marie paused. She pointedly studied Callie with the scrutiny of a forensic detective trying to deduce a suspect from a single ink sample. "Cal, you don't gotta lie. You look nervous." Not only was Callie's body language definitely reading hesitance, but she'd yet to take the seat she'd been offered next to her cousin. Noticing this, Marie held a hand out to Callie supportively, encouraging her to sit down. Marie liked to act like an aloof smartass, she liked to sass, she liked to make fun; but when push came to shove, she was incredibly sweet and caring.

Callie gingerly took Marie up on her offer, and plopped down on the sofa. Once she was seated, Marie placed a soft hand on Callie's knee. This small, non romantic gesture was more than enough to renew Callie's flustered blush. Her ink rushed and she fought the urge to choke on the warm fuzzies filling her chest.

"Seriously, are you okay? You… kinda look like you're freaking out a little."

Callie whimpered pathetically at this. She wanted so badly to kiss those lips. She wanted to hold Marie's hand and tell her how much she meant to her… but she couldn't. Not today. Maybe not ever. Hopefully… someday? Maybe…

"Maybe a little…" Callie admittedly sheepishly.

Marie hummed in acknowledgement. After a beat of silence, she fixed Callie with a worried gaze. "Was it the nightmares?"

Actually, no. Not really. But hey, that was as convenient an excuse as any, right? "Y-yeah," Callie lied, "something like that. Uh… came to distract myself with TV too."

Marie clicked her tongue and nodded. Callie watched as she looked from her, down to Judd, then back to her. An idea was clearly forming in Marie's head, but she looked reluctant to put it into motion. Her eyes lifted to meet Callie's and she asked with a raised brow, "Do you want to try again? You could lay down out here. I'll be here if you need me, and maybe that might help? I know I like some company when a nightmare wakes me up."

Oh, she was so conflicted. Should she take Marie up on that? She was just being a nice cousin, of course. She was being a good best friend. But Callie's dumb, lovestruck brain told her to read into it more. Despite every logical atom in her body screaming to do otherwise, Callie nodded along. "Sure. That could help a lot, thank you."

"Don't mention it," Marie smiled warmly. And she was just… so… pretty. It wasn't okay. Her green eyes shifted their focus back down to Judd, who lay peacefully in her lap. Apologetically, she took him in her arms, jostling him awake, and placed him gently on the floor. "Sorry man, Callie needs this more than you."

Though Judd made a disappointed and huffy pout face, which was definitely adorable and funny, Callie missed it over the feeling of her own beating hearts. What in the world did Marie mean by that? Surely not that she wanted Callie in her lap, right? Because Cod damn, that wouldn't be good for the younger squids' health.

"Well what're you waiting for?" Marie asked with smarmy gaiety. "Get your butt over here, before I change my mind." She patted her lap gently, almost like a mother beckoning her young son to lay his head down for a nap. Which… was sort of what Marie was doing. Though the mother/son metaphor was far too poignant for Callie's liking and made her more than a fair bit uncomfortable.

"O-okay…" she muttered, unable to even muster an argument. She scooted her way towards her cousin and without grace, fell into her lap.

In all their time together, Callie had used Marie to nap on several times. As close as they were, it wasn't anything weird or uncommon. But upon realizing the romantic implication of their affectionate relationship, at least from her own end, suddenly an interaction such as this held much more weight than usual.

But there was nothing more lovely than the feeling of Marie's hands moving soothingly through her tentacles.

Callie hummed in satisfaction, allowing just for a moment for her body to sink into Marie's own. She felt incredibly warm. Then, overpowering the sound of the still powered TV, Marie began to hum none other than the Calamari Inkantation. The song had some sorta freak power that not even the Squid Sisters understood. So it shouldn't have surprised anyone that it also made a fantastic lullaby.

It helped how calming and beautiful Marie's voice was. Even as a hum, the notes were all crisp and clear and the ear. What did Callie do to deserve having someone so perfect in her life? And why, she wondered, were the odds so stacked against her? Why would the universe give her someone so amazing only to shun her inevitable romantic attachment?

The last thing she'd hear that night, over the TV, over Marie's humming, over her own heartbeat, were three words hammering away at her thoughts: "It's so unfair."

Though that said… maybe someday… she'd be able to confidently declare her love no matter who was watching— no matter what someone said. She'd be able to tell Marie she loved her without fear of the consequences her actions may bring. She longed for that day, with all her beating hearts. And should that day finally arrive, Callie would know all the trouble was plenty worth it.


End file.
